Posted on Sat, Nov. 16, 2002
Senate OKs Sept. 11 panel, nears vote on terror bills
By Helen Dewar
The Washington Post
WASHINGTON - The Senate gave final approval Friday to legislation creating an independent commission to investigate the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and cleared the way for passage of two other major anti-terrorism initiatives before the 107th Congress adjourns next week.
Senators plan to vote early next week, probably Tuesday, on the two other proposals, which would create a 170,000-employee homeland security department and a program to help insurers cover claims from any future terrorist attacks.
The House approved the commission proposal shortly before it wrapped up work and headed home early Friday. The Senate approved the bill by voice vote. It was included in the intelligence authorization bill for this year.
The White House has signaled that President Bush will sign the bill. He originally opposed an independent inquiry into why the United States was unable to prevent the terrorist attacks last year on New York and the Pentagon, but he later endorsed it.
The 10-member commission of private citizens will be evenly divided between Republican and Democratic appointees, to be named by Dec. 15 for an 18-month investigation. Bush would choose the chairman, with congressional leaders naming the other members.
The panel would look into aviation, immigration and other issues as well as intelligence and law enforcement matters that were the focus of an earlier investigation by House and Senate intelligence committees.
With the Senate voting 65-29 against further delaying tactics, the homeland security bill cleared a procedural hurdle. Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., said he believes that the Senate will pass the bill next week.
But Daschle and other Democrats said they will try to strip out several proposals they regard as sops to special interests. Among the proposals are liability protections for pharmaceutical companies and a weakening of provisions aimed at preventing the new department from contracting with companies that incorporate offshore to escape U.S. taxes. Another provision would give Texas A&M the inside track for a new government-funded research center.
Daschle said he expects all Democrats to vote to remove the provisions and believes that passage depends on winning a few GOP votes.
Sen. Phil Gramm, R-Texas, a former professor at A&M and an unabashed booster of the university, denied that they were favors to special interests. He said the charge "makes good political rhetoric, but it's not true."
If the bill is changed, it goes back to the House, which could reconvene to consider last-minute business.
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